1 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 1: On this episode of Newts World, the documentary Undefeated tells 2 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: the story of the North Memphis based Manassas Tigers football team, 3 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: a severely underfunded and underprivileged team, and their volunteer coach, 4 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 1: Bill Courtney, who tried to help beat the odds on 5 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: and off the field. Undefeated went on to become the 6 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: Academy Award winner in the Documentary category at the Oscars 7 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 1: in twenty twelve. It's an incredible film and I highly 8 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 1: recommend everyone see it. You can find it on Amazon 9 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: dot com for rent. Bill Courtney, the coach in the film, 10 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: has launched a new podcast, An Army of Normal Folks. 11 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 1: So I'm really pleased to welcome my guest today, coach 12 00:00:51,960 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: Bill Courtney. Bill, Welcome, and thank you for joining me 13 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: on news World. 14 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me. It's an honor, it really is. 15 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:09,680 Speaker 1: You know, you have an amazing story. I mean, in 16 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,120 Speaker 1: two thousand and three, you began volunteering at the Memphis 17 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: Inner City of Manassas High School in an effort to 18 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: turn its underperforming football team around. Why did you decide 19 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: to start volunteering as a coach? 20 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 2: Wow. I'm going to try to give you the reader's 21 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:29,479 Speaker 2: digest version I grew up in Memphis. I'm a Memphis guy. 22 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:33,199 Speaker 2: Dad left home when I was four. Mom was married 23 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 2: and divorced five times. My fourth daddy shot at me 24 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 2: down a hallway with a thirty eight caliber pistol one 25 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 2: night after drinking about a handle of us Are Scotch, 26 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 2: and I had to dive out of window to say myself. 27 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 2: I grew up with a lot of dysfunction and trauma, 28 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 2: moving around in apartments and all of that, And the 29 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 2: only thing in my life that counteracted all that chaos 30 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 2: was playing football in sports, and my coaches were my 31 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 2: greatest inspiration. And so when I graduated from Olemiss, I 32 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 2: planned on getting my doctorate in developmental psychology, and I 33 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 2: took a job teaching school and coaching football so I 34 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 2: could get my doctorate at night, primarily to pay the bills, 35 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 2: but also because I saw coaching as an opportunity to 36 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 2: have a positive measure of effect on young people's lives, 37 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 2: because that's what it meant to me. And I'm not 38 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:37,920 Speaker 2: particularly the most attractive guy in the world. And I 39 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 2: bumped into a beautiful girl named Lisa, And I'm from 40 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 2: the South, right, And have you ever fished? Do you fish? 41 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,119 Speaker 2: Much do you like to fish? Yeah, I fish some, Okay, Well, 42 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 2: in the South, you really try to match your tackle 43 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:55,079 Speaker 2: to what you're fishing. And so if you're like on 44 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: an eight pound test and you light into a fifteen 45 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,799 Speaker 2: pound slab, really worried about that line breaking and you 46 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 2: got to get it in the boat. Well, that's kind 47 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 2: of like I was when I hooked Lisa. I was 48 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 2: eight pound test on a fifteen pounds lab and I 49 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 2: thought she was going to get away. So the only 50 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 2: way I knew to keep her in the boat was 51 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 2: we just started having kids. So we had four kids 52 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 2: in four years, and here I am making seventeen thousand 53 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 2: dollars a year, trying to pay for school with four 54 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 2: children and a wife to take care of. And so 55 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 2: teaching and coaching as a profession no longer was a 56 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 2: pragmatic solution to my life, and so I got into 57 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 2: the private world and started my business. But my passion 58 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 2: for coaching and what it meant in my life and 59 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 2: what I thought it could mean in the lives of 60 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 2: others was never lost. So in the state of Tennessee, 61 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 2: you can be what's called a certified non faculty football 62 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 2: coach if you take all this accreditation. There's a number 63 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 2: of us in the state that do that, and so 64 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 2: I took that. So the truth is I coached for 65 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 2: thirty one years while also growing my family and starting 66 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 2: my business because that's what my passion was about. Not 67 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 2: that I'm not passionate about my business, because I am, 68 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 2: but that's where my passion was. So when I started 69 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 2: my business, I was broke, didn't have any family money. 70 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 2: We literally had seventeen thousand dollars in the bank and 71 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 2: I was thirty one years old, and I was looking 72 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 2: for cheap industrial land because I'm in a heavily industrial business. 73 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 2: We manufacture hardwood lumber. And so I bought a piece 74 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 2: of dilapidated property in North Memphis because that's where cheap 75 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 2: industrial property was. And Manasas happened to be a mile 76 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 2: from my business, and some guys reached out to me 77 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 2: and asked me if I'd be interested in coming over 78 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 2: and helping coach. And so how I got to Manassas 79 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 2: was really geography more than anything. It was close, it 80 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 2: was convenient, it was a place that I could both 81 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 2: grow my business and continue to coach kids. So I 82 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 2: showed up. I put man asses about the same time 83 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 2: I started my business, and I found seventeen kids on 84 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 2: a high school football team whose previous ten years record 85 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 2: was four wins and ninety five losses, and we started 86 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 2: coaching football. I started growing my business while I was 87 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:18,599 Speaker 2: growing my family. 88 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 1: You must work really long hours. 89 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,919 Speaker 2: We're in manufacturing, and so we go from seven to 90 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 2: three thirty. We're now on fifty acres and I have 91 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 2: one hundred and thirty employees, and we do business in 92 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 2: forty two different countries. But back then it was a 93 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 2: tenuous startup, and you're right, you got to get there 94 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 2: at six to prepare for seven o'clock startup. And of 95 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 2: course the whole time we're putting in used machinery on 96 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:47,719 Speaker 2: the weekends and fixing it up with baling wire and 97 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 2: duct tape, and so at lunch, I would run to 98 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 2: the school make sure the kids were doing what they 99 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 2: were supposed to do. Then at three point thirty work 100 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 2: ended and I would go to practice, and we would 101 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 2: practic just from three point thirty to about six, and 102 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 2: then drive home, get home around seven, eat dinner, try 103 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:09,799 Speaker 2: to hang out with the kids as much as possible, 104 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 2: and started back over at four point thirty in the 105 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 2: morning and that was for seven years, So yeah, it 106 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 2: was a lot. 107 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 1: First of all, your wife must have really been totally supportive. 108 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 2: Well, she's amazing, and listen, the truth is I needed 109 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 2: to coach. I struggled with the effects of trauma and favolousness. 110 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 2: And I lettered in six sports in high school. That's 111 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 2: a lot of sports. And I look back on it 112 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 2: now and I think I played every sport on earth, 113 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 2: not necessarily because I was any good at it, but 114 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 2: because it was my escape and the men around me 115 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 2: that were my coaches were who I could lean on. 116 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 2: I struggled until my forties. You know, when you're a 117 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 2: seventeen or eighteen year old, strapping young guy, you're working out, 118 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 2: you're lettering in sports, you're doing all that. You've got 119 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 2: this bravado, but deep inside, underneath that hardshell, when your 120 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 2: own father wants to have nothing to do with you, 121 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 2: and when men come in and out of your life 122 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 2: constantly that you think is going to be the next 123 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 2: guy that's really going to be there for you and 124 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 2: love you and then disappears. You start to look in 125 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 2: the mirror and wonder not what's wrong with them, but 126 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 2: you start to wonder what's wrong with you. You start 127 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 2: to wonder why your value is so low that you're 128 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 2: not worth hanging around and digging in for. And that 129 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 2: dynamic exists in a large population in our country. It 130 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 2: exists in a large number of the kids I've coached, 131 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 2: especially at Manassas. And so even though I'm this white 132 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 2: business owner, I identified with the reality of many kids 133 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 2: from inner city Memphis much more readily than identified with 134 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 2: my own kids reality. And so it was years before 135 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 2: I came to terms with my own self worth, my 136 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 2: own insecurities as a result of the way that I 137 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 2: grew up. And I will tell you that my time 138 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 2: coaching at Manassis for me was therapeutic. It helped me 139 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 2: to revisit and learn about why I felt the way 140 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 2: I felt about a lot of things in my own life. 141 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 2: And so long Win did answer your question, not only 142 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 2: was Lisa really supportive because we were raising four kids. 143 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 2: I mean, our children were three, four, five, and six. 144 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 2: And for two people who dedicate nothing but all their 145 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 2: time to raising four children that age, it's a lot 146 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 2: much less a wife that allows her husband to spend 147 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 2: thirteen fourteen hours a day working in coaching football and 148 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 2: manning the home ship allowing me to do that. But 149 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,839 Speaker 2: what Lisa saw was not only was it a good 150 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 2: thing and good work that we were doing, but it 151 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 2: was important for my own life, and she supported it 152 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 2: in ways that most spouses would not. She is absolutely 153 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 2: the hero of the story in terms of my life. 154 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: It's fascinating. My son in law, Paul Lovers, was a 155 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: tennis coach and he used to say to his players 156 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: who had come to college and they would tell him 157 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: about how they had this dysfunctional family or something, and 158 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 1: he'd always say to him, you know, the heart of 159 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 1: that word is function. So why don't you drop the 160 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 1: disc part and let's focus on the function. And I 161 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: think he would identify totally with your story. 162 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 2: Look, I'm not a victim. We all normal folks, all 163 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 2: have issues in their life with family and money and 164 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:55,440 Speaker 2: jobs and whatever. And I don't want to, when telling 165 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 2: you the background of my story, in any way paint 166 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:01,679 Speaker 2: the picture that I'm a victim. I am not a victim. 167 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 2: I will never be a victim, And I think victimhood 168 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 2: is debilitating to a human being's ability to succeed. Having 169 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,679 Speaker 2: said that, I did have a lot of burden on 170 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:20,679 Speaker 2: my heart, and my psyche and my time at Manassas 171 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 2: helped relieve that a lot. So a lot of people 172 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 2: will ask, and you probably will as we get into 173 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 2: the story a little bit about how we achieved, what 174 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,079 Speaker 2: we achieved and all of those things. And we did 175 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 2: achieve a lot, and the kids did grow as a 176 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 2: result of it. But I think I might have been 177 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 2: at least equal, but probably the biggest recipient of the 178 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 2: inspiration that I got from those kids that had a 179 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:49,960 Speaker 2: posit effect on my life. 180 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: Before we get to the kids, it seems to me, 181 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: somehow inside you, at some very early stage, and maybe 182 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 1: it was related to sport, you've just made the decision 183 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,839 Speaker 1: you weren't going to be a victim. You rejected that road. 184 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 2: Philip Spain was my coach my sophomore year. He passed 185 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 2: not too long ago, one of the greatest guys from myland, Tennessee, 186 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 2: a farming community, a no nonsense guy who was rough 187 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 2: and raw boned, but also a very very loving man. 188 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 2: And I had a particularly rough week and I went 189 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 2: to him to talk to him about it, and he 190 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 2: looked me in the eyes and he said, Bill, you 191 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 2: can either decide to be a victim of your circumstances, 192 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 2: or you can decide to dig your heels in the 193 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 2: dirt and be a rock that other people break themselves on. 194 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:52,319 Speaker 2: And he said, that's your choice. And he said, and 195 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 2: nobody controls that other than you. And he said, so 196 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 2: all of this stuff that's out of your control, that's 197 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 2: causing all these issues for you, you can either dismiss 198 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 2: and decide you're going to rise above it and never 199 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 2: have that dysfunction in your own life and your own 200 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 2: family one day, and you can dig your hells in 201 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 2: and let that dysfunction and those crazy people break themselves 202 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 2: against you, or you can be like other people and 203 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 2: just be a victim of it. And he said, but 204 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 2: that's really one hundred percent on you. And it was 205 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 2: then that I started to think about my existence and 206 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 2: how I was going to approach life in my future 207 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 2: in a different way. 208 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: Hi, this is NEWT. In my new book, March the Majority, 209 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:49,439 Speaker 1: The Real Story of the Republican Revolution, I offer strategies 210 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 1: and insights for everyday citizens and for season politicians. It's 211 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: both a guide for political success and for winning back 212 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: the Majority. In twenty twenty four, March the Majority outlines 213 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:04,559 Speaker 1: sixteen year campaign to write the Contract with America, explains 214 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 1: how we elected the first Republican House majority in forty years, 215 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: and how we worked with President Bill Clinton to pass 216 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: major reforms, including four consecutive balance budgets. March to the 217 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: Majority tells the behind the scenes story of how we 218 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 1: got it done. Here's a special offer for my podcast listeners. 219 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 1: You can order March the Majority right now at Gingrishtree 220 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: sixty dot com slash book and it'll be shipped directly 221 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: to you. Don't miss out on a special offer. Go 222 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:36,679 Speaker 1: to gingrishtree sixty dot com slash book and order your 223 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: copy now. Order it today at gingishtree sixty dot com 224 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:51,080 Speaker 1: slash book. Part of what's amazing is that I'm a 225 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: big fan of the Green Bay Packers and Christon Island 226 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 1: one share of stocks. We always tell people who are 227 00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 1: professional football team owners. One of the most amazing things 228 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 1: in the Backers history was that Vince Lombardi arrives immediately 229 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 1: after the worst season in the team's history and taking 230 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,560 Speaker 1: exactly the same players, turns them around and they become 231 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 1: winners the first year that he's there, and the second 232 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: year they're in the playoffs. In a since you did 233 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: exactly that you go to a school where they had 234 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: not won a playoff game in their one hundred and 235 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:24,440 Speaker 1: ten year history. The team before you get there only 236 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: had nineteen players, They had a four and ninety five 237 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: record over the previous ten years, and boom, you turn 238 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: it all around. Now, how did you do that? 239 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 2: So? I believe I have a number of mantras. Two 240 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 2: of them fit the answer here. One is players win 241 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 2: games and coaches win players. I've never seen a coach 242 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 2: make a tackle. I've never seen a coach throw a 243 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 2: touchdown pass. I've never seen a coach do anything but 244 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 2: stand on the sideline. Players win games, coaches win players. 245 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 2: And so the first thing you have to do is 246 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 2: win your players' hearts and minds so they have buy 247 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 2: in to what you're trying to achieve. And you do 248 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 2: that by listing there's a story under every helmet. And 249 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 2: you win your players by holding them accountable, giving them 250 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 2: rules and expectations that are clear, and then holding them 251 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 2: accountable to them and when they mess up, pointing it out, 252 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 2: but loving them up twice as hard as you beat 253 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 2: them up, and over time they start to understand that 254 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 2: you're going to serve them in order to lead them, 255 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 2: and that your motivation is their success, not your own, 256 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 2: and when you do that, you start to win players. 257 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 2: The second thing is you obviously got to coach x's 258 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 2: and o's in football, but more importantly, you got to 259 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 2: coach things like character, integrity, the value of teamwork, the 260 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 2: basic fundamentals and tenants that are in my book that 261 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 2: I write about because I believe that the fundamentals and 262 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 2: tendants to serve you well on a football field more 263 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 2: importantly serve you well after the days of playing the 264 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 2: game are over. And I think you talk about that 265 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 2: with kids too, so that they understand that you're not 266 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 2: there just to win games. You're there to win it life. 267 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 2: And so when you win your kids and you give 268 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 2: them a roadmap at how to win at games but 269 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 2: also at life with both x's and o's, but also 270 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 2: fundamentals and tendants that serve you well in all aspects 271 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 2: of your life, you create a culture of positivity. And 272 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 2: when you create that culture, other kids are drawn to it, 273 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 2: and so you grow your numbers, you grow your talent. 274 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 2: You continue to coach sound football, but you continue to 275 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 2: also coach sound life lessons, and over a period of time, 276 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 2: you hope that that culture builds into a winning atmosphere. 277 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 2: And that's what we did. We were there seven years 278 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 2: and it was not an im mediate success. It takes 279 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 2: a while. And I had a guy named RSA Cooper 280 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 2: on my podcast about four weeks ago, amazing story. He 281 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 2: was on the first all black row team in the 282 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 2: United States and since I started three hundred road teams 283 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:21,880 Speaker 2: across the country. But something he said to me resonated 284 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 2: so real with me is that when every day you 285 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 2: leave your apartment in the projects. He's from Westside Chicago, 286 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 2: and you walk down the hall and you literally step 287 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:40,480 Speaker 2: over pools of blood, or you smell weed or crack 288 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 2: hikes or the whales of mothers who've lost children are 289 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 2: a weekly sound. And you have seen people be shot 290 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,199 Speaker 2: in the streets. You have seen people shoot back and 291 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 2: shoot other people defending themselves. You have literally seen all 292 00:17:56,280 --> 00:18:00,080 Speaker 2: the things that a United States Marine has seen in 293 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 2: Felujjah who comes back with PTSD. But you're twelve, You're 294 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 2: not grown. And when you're twelve, and that's what you see, 295 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 2: and that's the noise and the reality around you every 296 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:17,360 Speaker 2: day when you get to school, you don't care who 297 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:20,879 Speaker 2: is on the Mayflower and how to figure out what 298 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 2: half of fifty percent is is just not going to happen. 299 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 2: That learning environment is not conducive to anybody, because the 300 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 2: school is filled with kids who are just trying to 301 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 2: make it through the day and whose stress and trauma 302 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:42,560 Speaker 2: is far too great to create a conducive learning environment. 303 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 2: And it's just so true. And so when I got 304 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 2: to Manassas, I found kids from the fifth poor zip 305 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 2: code in the United States, a place where a eighteen 306 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 2: year old male is three times more likely to be 307 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 2: dead or in carted by his twenty first birthday than 308 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 2: he is to have a job. I found a place 309 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 2: that fewer than one percent of the people have a 310 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:12,479 Speaker 2: college degree and fewer than half have a high school 311 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 2: diploma or GED equivalent. Just unbelievable, just enfranchisement and poverty 312 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:24,159 Speaker 2: and loss. And despite that, the human condition continued to 313 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 2: shine through because I was surrounded by fifteen, sixteen, and 314 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 2: seventeen year olds that just wanted to be part of 315 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 2: anything positive, anything to better their life. And so when 316 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:38,640 Speaker 2: you start trying to teach the fundamentals that I'm talking 317 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 2: about teaching, they largely fall on deaf ears at first, 318 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:46,920 Speaker 2: because those fundamentals don't get you a meal or home safely. 319 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 2: And so the other part is you have to listen. 320 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 2: As a leader, you have to listen to understand the 321 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 2: reality of the people you seek to serve, and then 322 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 2: in listening understand, empathize, but also work to remove the 323 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 2: impediments to their success. And so we started working on 324 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 2: that too, and holistically, when you combine all of those things, 325 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:15,399 Speaker 2: you have a chance to change a narrative. But it 326 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 2: is not easy, and you don't win every kid, but 327 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 2: over the course of time, you try to win more 328 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 2: than you lose, and in doing so build a culture 329 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:29,360 Speaker 2: that foster's success on the football field, but also well 330 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 2: after the days of football are over. 331 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 1: I noticed that in your last two years you had 332 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 1: thirty one out of your thirty two seniors went on 333 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: to college. That's astonishing compared to what it would have 334 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 1: been like without you. 335 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:46,440 Speaker 2: I appreciate you saying that. I would say that's astonishing 336 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 2: compared to what it would have been without kids who 337 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:53,879 Speaker 2: were willing to look at life differently and adhere to 338 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:58,119 Speaker 2: tenants that they had not previously had employed in their life. 339 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 2: I got to say this with all humility, and this 340 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 2: is not some all shucks, false Southern humility. I didn't 341 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 2: save anybody. I went to coach football, and I coached 342 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 2: football manassis, no differently than I coached all white teams 343 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:15,439 Speaker 2: out with suburbs or my first job that was in 344 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:18,639 Speaker 2: a very rural farming community. I taught and coached the 345 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 2: same fundamentals in the same way I'd always coached. I 346 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:26,359 Speaker 2: didn't go there to save anybody. The amazing success of 347 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 2: those last two years, the numbers you just used about college, 348 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:32,360 Speaker 2: the fact that we were eighteen and two and had 349 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:36,399 Speaker 2: seventy kids on the team, all of that is a 350 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:41,879 Speaker 2: testament to the truth that the zip code at the 351 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 2: time of your birth does not necessarily have to determine 352 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:48,880 Speaker 2: the success that you have in your life. You can overcome, 353 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 2: and those kids did the work. They're the ones that 354 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:57,720 Speaker 2: took ACTEAM. We offered it and provided a level playing field. 355 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 2: But they're the ones who took a prep classes. They're 356 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 2: the ones who started to buy into the fundamentals. They're 357 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 2: the ones who understood that showing up on time was important. 358 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:12,240 Speaker 2: They're the ones who understood that teamwork was a thread 359 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 2: that binds everything in our country. They're the ones that 360 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 2: got past it all, and you've got to understand, man, 361 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:22,440 Speaker 2: I mean some of them were being called sellouts. That 362 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:25,200 Speaker 2: white coach ain't got nothing for you. You're doing homework, 363 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 2: homeworks for chumps. You know, a lot of the things 364 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:30,879 Speaker 2: that I was requiring of these kids were counter to 365 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 2: a lot of the culture of the people that surrounded them, 366 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 2: and oftentimes they had to turn their back on some 367 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 2: of their own naturally born ethos in order to be 368 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 2: part of something that was possibly life changing for them. 369 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:49,400 Speaker 2: But they did the work. They got themselves into college. 370 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:53,160 Speaker 2: I didn't do anything, and so yes, it is astounding 371 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 2: what happened as a result of the work we all 372 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,639 Speaker 2: did together. But I give all credit to the kids. 373 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 1: As you were you and they were succeeding. You end 374 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: up doing Undefeated as a documentary. How did that happen? 375 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 2: I minded my own business, running my business, raising my kids, 376 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 2: coaching football, and these three twenty nine year old goofy 377 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 2: guys from LA showed up wearing skinny legged jeans and scarves, 378 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 2: and nobody in Memphis were scarves. It's one hundred and 379 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 2: ten degrees outside, but you know, they showed up wearing 380 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 2: that stuff, and they were carrying two borrowed cameras and 381 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:35,360 Speaker 2: they were going to do a little short like ESPN 382 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 2: thirty for thirty documentary on our team, because they'd heard 383 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 2: about the story through some news clippings about the success 384 00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 2: we were having. And after a couple of weeks, they said, 385 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:48,439 Speaker 2: we're going to make a movie. And then they leave 386 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,200 Speaker 2: and come back three weeks later on a shoe string budget, 387 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:56,200 Speaker 2: and we think, whatever. You know, honestly, the only reason 388 00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:58,080 Speaker 2: we agreed to do it is because we thought we'd 389 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 2: have a cool video yearbook of our season. And they 390 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 2: left Memphis with five hundred and fifty hours of film 391 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 2: and went back to la and started editing, and we 392 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 2: thought we might see this thing on Channel two hundred 393 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 2: and sixty three on Infinity at two in the morning 394 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:18,200 Speaker 2: on some Wednesday night. And two years later, I'm walking 395 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:20,679 Speaker 2: down the red carpet at the Academy Awards. 396 00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 1: That must have been quite a trip. 397 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:25,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, you know, I'm hanging out. I'm literally 398 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:28,160 Speaker 2: walking down the red carpet with p Diddy and George Clooney. 399 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,639 Speaker 2: And since it I've done some work with Pete Carroll 400 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:34,879 Speaker 2: and Coach Carroll has said, you know, Bill, I do 401 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 2: not understand how you win an Oscar coaching football and 402 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:41,919 Speaker 2: I said I don't either. I don't know how to, 403 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:45,159 Speaker 2: but it did. And I want to tell you, I 404 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 2: really thought, you know, that's my twenty minutes of fame. 405 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 2: I'm going back to Memphis coach football, run my business, 406 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:55,399 Speaker 2: be who I am. And I was told in La 407 00:24:55,680 --> 00:25:02,120 Speaker 2: ironically by Ari Emmanuel, who owns w ME, Rob Manuel's 408 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 2: brother who was chief staff for Obama. They said, you know, 409 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,520 Speaker 2: your life's never going to be the same, and I 410 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:12,240 Speaker 2: was like, you know, I appreciate it. Whatever deuces. I'm out. 411 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:15,440 Speaker 2: This has been a blast. I'm going home. And all 412 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 2: the requests for interviews and TV shows and the book 413 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 2: deals came and Lisa and I talked about it, and 414 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 2: we said, you know what, if this gives us a platform, 415 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,880 Speaker 2: I think it's high time that we start having real 416 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:37,479 Speaker 2: conversations about politics and race and creed and faith and 417 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 2: belief sets. But we got to start having those conversations 418 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:46,919 Speaker 2: and non threatening civil ways. And more and more I 419 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 2: see the lack of civility in our political discourse and 420 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 2: our religious discourse, and our racial discourse is more threatening 421 00:25:56,280 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 2: to our union than even China. And I thought, well, 422 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 2: if this gives us a platform to have those conversations 423 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 2: on a greater scale in a book and in speeches 424 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 2: and in meeting men like you on this podcast, then 425 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 2: I'm going to take it. And so the rule was 426 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 2: that Lisa gave me, and I do everything Lisa says 427 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 2: because of the story I told you before. Well, I'm 428 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 2: also scared of her, So I do everything she says. 429 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:25,159 Speaker 2: But she said, don't forget who you are, where you 430 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 2: come from, keep it real, and don't take engagements because 431 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 2: they pay a lot. Take engagements because you have an 432 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,360 Speaker 2: opportunity to do a lot. And that's been the guiding 433 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:41,120 Speaker 2: principle ever since the Academy Awards happened. And so I 434 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:47,720 Speaker 2: was given a platform by some stroke of luck or 435 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 2: God's divine providence or whatever. And so for the last 436 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:56,440 Speaker 2: ten years we've been having those conversations about stuff that matters. 437 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:59,919 Speaker 2: And so, yeah, life changed for me, and it was 438 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 2: it's weird, and walking down the red carpet with George 439 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 2: Clean and P Diddy is a surreal experience, one I'd 440 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:09,439 Speaker 2: never thought i'd have, that I never sought out, but 441 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 2: it has given me an opportunity to, I think, have 442 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:15,720 Speaker 2: a conversation about stuff that matters, and for that it's 443 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 2: a blessing. 444 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 1: Did Lisa go to the Academy Awards with you? 445 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 2: Yeah? I can't. I don't go anywhere without Lisa. 446 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:24,160 Speaker 1: How did she like meeting George Clooney Oll? 447 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 2: She didn't care anything about it. She is not impressed. 448 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:33,399 Speaker 2: She married a football coach for Memphis and a lumberman. 449 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 2: And you know, I swear this is true. We're walking 450 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 2: down the red carpet. If you've ever been to the 451 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,879 Speaker 2: Academy Awards, it looks like the press is all out 452 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 2: amongst everybody, but they're not. They're in little cubicles and 453 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 2: they're actually kind of with the camera behind them, and 454 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 2: they're leaning out over talking to people as they walk by. 455 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 2: And the vast majority of people in the theater don't 456 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:58,119 Speaker 2: walk down the red carpet, most of them going to 457 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 2: normal door, the red carpet for the A listers. And 458 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:02,919 Speaker 2: Lisa and I took a wrong turn or something and 459 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 2: ended up out there, and Ryan Seacrest had just had 460 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:09,439 Speaker 2: some nice things to say, and as I kind of 461 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:12,360 Speaker 2: backed away from him. Because the carpets not wide, It's 462 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:15,200 Speaker 2: only about twelve feet wide, so it's tight. As people 463 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,359 Speaker 2: are filing through. When I back up, actually stepped on 464 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:21,240 Speaker 2: George Clooney's foot, and then when I turn around it 465 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:24,639 Speaker 2: was him. And I'm like, not only do I step 466 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 2: on somebody's foot, I stepped on like the man's foot. 467 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:30,480 Speaker 2: Before I could even say I'm sorry, he goes, oh, 468 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:33,880 Speaker 2: coach Bill and he hugs me, you know, he gives 469 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 2: me a rug, and I'm like, holy crap, you know 470 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:42,200 Speaker 2: what am I doing here? And Lisa's standing right behind us, 471 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 2: and you know, I think, well, you hadn't been impressed yet, 472 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:47,960 Speaker 2: but look at here. What I got on the red 473 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:51,320 Speaker 2: carpet balled up. So I'm hugging George back, and I've 474 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:54,720 Speaker 2: looked at Lisa and her mouth looks like the end 475 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 2: of an uncooked hot dog. She's pierced up, like what 476 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:00,840 Speaker 2: are you doing? And at the end of the night, 477 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 2: I said, baby, why were you so upset about the 478 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 2: old George thing? She says, if you forgot who you are, 479 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 2: he doesn't know you, he didn't get anything about you. 480 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 2: You need to keep it real. And somebody whispered his 481 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 2: ear or who you are. If he saw you today, 482 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 2: he'd cross the street and get away from you. Quld 483 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 2: actor like you somebody, you're not, So how did she 484 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 2: like it? She loved it, and she was wearing a 485 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:25,640 Speaker 2: down in a jewelry store here in Memphis. Gave her 486 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:29,200 Speaker 2: all this jewey to wear, and on three different occasions 487 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:34,080 Speaker 2: I heard people say, wow, now who is she? I mean, 488 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 2: it wasn't about me. I was this dumpy, goofy dude 489 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 2: in the rented tucks walking down the red carpet. But 490 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 2: everybody that saw Lisa, they just knew she was a 491 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 2: Hollywood movie actress at star because she was gorgeous. But 492 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 2: they couldn't quite place her. So how did she like it? 493 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, it was a night at the 494 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 2: Academy Wards that was fun. But she came back to 495 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 2: Memphis and was mom to her kids and my wife. 496 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: That's great. So now you decided to develop an army 497 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 1: of normal folks, tell us what you're trying to achieve 498 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:22,440 Speaker 1: and why that seemed like the next step. 499 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 2: Well. I was doing an interview about two years ago. 500 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 2: I was asked by some people in Chicago, and it 501 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:34,400 Speaker 2: was one of those days that something happened in our 502 00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:38,440 Speaker 2: country that changed the news cycle. I don't remember what 503 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 2: the story was, but it was a story that if 504 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 2: I could remember the story. You'd all go, oh, yeah, 505 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:48,360 Speaker 2: I remember that story. I watched Newsmax, Fox, CNN, and 506 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 2: CNBC coverage on this same exact issue that happened, and 507 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:58,239 Speaker 2: it was like we were on four different planets. And 508 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 2: it frustrated me, really frustrated me because something so simple 509 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 2: and obvious was spun so many different ways. And I 510 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:13,640 Speaker 2: was really frustrated with it because I think that's when 511 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 2: the public has to make value judgments about the honesty 512 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:23,400 Speaker 2: of the reporting of a story. We are losing a 513 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:28,600 Speaker 2: part of us that is a necessary piece of our democracy. 514 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:33,240 Speaker 2: And I was frustrated. And so this guy asked me 515 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:36,120 Speaker 2: a question about you know, you went into the inner 516 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 2: city and fixed the proverbial it, how are we going 517 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 2: to fix it nationally? And I said, you know what, 518 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 2: there are neighborhoods all over our country. When you drive 519 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:49,000 Speaker 2: past and you look down that street, or you're on 520 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:51,720 Speaker 2: an interstate, you look over the viduct and you see 521 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 2: the disenfranchisement and the poverty and the despair that you 522 00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 2: do not want to have a flat tire right there. 523 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 2: You're scared today if that's where you have a flat tire, 524 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 2: you're gonna get mugged trying to change your flat tire, 525 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 2: and it is you safely pass by. Your mindset changes 526 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 2: as you recognize all that poverty and despair and you think, gosh, 527 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:17,040 Speaker 2: somebody had to do something about that one day down there, 528 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:20,959 Speaker 2: as if the sentiment matters, and I suggest the cinnament 529 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:23,680 Speaker 2: doesn't mean a damn thing. I think we had to 530 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 2: hit that rear view mirror about fifteen degrees in the 531 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:28,480 Speaker 2: left and look ourselves in the eyes and say, maybe 532 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:30,840 Speaker 2: I had to do something about that one day. Because 533 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 2: here's the truth. All of the talking heads on all 534 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 2: the national radio stations, they're not going to fix anything. 535 00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:44,719 Speaker 2: We have such dysfunction in DC right now that I 536 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:49,880 Speaker 2: think government is proving woefully inadequate. Rather, I just think 537 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:53,120 Speaker 2: it's going to take an army of normal folks. I 538 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:55,840 Speaker 2: just think it's going to take people in their area 539 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 2: of the world seeing an area need in a discipline 540 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:04,000 Speaker 2: that they have passion and just saying, hey, somebody out 541 00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:06,560 Speaker 2: to not fix that one day. I've got the talents 542 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:09,680 Speaker 2: and I've got the passion. Why don't I employ those 543 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:11,880 Speaker 2: in my little corner of the world. And can you 544 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 2: imagine what our country would look like if We've literally 545 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:20,680 Speaker 2: had hundreds of thousands of normal folks that aren't tabbed 546 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 2: by an NGO, that aren't part of the elite class, 547 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:30,280 Speaker 2: that aren't beautiful people doing something writing checks, but normal 548 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:33,600 Speaker 2: folks who have money troubles and kid troubles and work 549 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:38,360 Speaker 2: troubles and financial troubles, normal people who don't do things 550 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 2: because they're part of the pretty people, but they do 551 00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 2: things despite the normal things we have to overcome on 552 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 2: a daily basis to try to raise our families and 553 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:50,440 Speaker 2: have a good job. And they still get involved in 554 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:54,520 Speaker 2: their communities and exact some positive measure for some people 555 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 2: who are not as fortunate as them and need it. 556 00:33:57,560 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 2: What if we had an army of normal folks aging 557 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:04,080 Speaker 2: across this country seeing area needs and filling it. I 558 00:34:04,080 --> 00:34:08,000 Speaker 2: think that could fix the proverbial it. And we need 559 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 2: to quit thinking that somebody had to do something about it, 560 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:14,759 Speaker 2: because the power class in New York and the dysfunction 561 00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 2: in DC is never going to fix it. And I 562 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:21,040 Speaker 2: said that in this interview. About six months later, these 563 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:23,799 Speaker 2: people from Chicago ourn Light Labs called me up and said, 564 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:26,200 Speaker 2: I can't quit thinking about what you said to us 565 00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:28,640 Speaker 2: in that interview, And I thought oh did I cuss? 566 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:31,279 Speaker 2: What do I say? And they reminded me of what 567 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:32,920 Speaker 2: I said, and they said, do you really feel that way? 568 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:35,320 Speaker 2: And I said absolutely, And I said, we want to 569 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:39,719 Speaker 2: create a popcast where we interview normal people from all 570 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:50,000 Speaker 2: walks of life, black, white, Asian, Hispanic, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, male, female, Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian, whatever, 571 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:54,279 Speaker 2: across this country who are doing the exact things you're 572 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:58,000 Speaker 2: talking about, and make them the stars of each episode. 573 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:01,839 Speaker 2: And tell normal people's stories doing extraordinary things and make 574 00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:07,879 Speaker 2: them interesting, make them entertaining, certainly, make them fun and light, 575 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:12,120 Speaker 2: but also have drama and content in it. But in 576 00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:16,160 Speaker 2: doing so, also try to create a movement to inspire 577 00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:19,359 Speaker 2: listeners that if you listen long enough, you will hear 578 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 2: a story about something that you can do that you're 579 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:25,840 Speaker 2: passionate about. And then your stories will then create a 580 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:29,239 Speaker 2: blueprint for how to go do those things and have 581 00:35:29,520 --> 00:35:33,560 Speaker 2: each guests provide their personal contact information, so with that 582 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:37,160 Speaker 2: blueprint you can also call and have a mentor to 583 00:35:37,239 --> 00:35:40,279 Speaker 2: help you get started in your community, and over the 584 00:35:40,320 --> 00:35:43,480 Speaker 2: course of time, tell a bunch of stories, but also 585 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:45,960 Speaker 2: inspire a bunch of people to get involved and maybe 586 00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:51,839 Speaker 2: literally create that army of normal folks to change the 587 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:56,280 Speaker 2: direction and the narrative of our culture. And I said, okay, 588 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:58,880 Speaker 2: that sounds great, and we started doing it, and so 589 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:02,759 Speaker 2: we released about eleven weeks ago. We've been as high 590 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:05,960 Speaker 2: as number ten in the country on Apple. So it's 591 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,800 Speaker 2: resonating and we're telling these stories and trying to inspire 592 00:36:09,880 --> 00:36:12,800 Speaker 2: people from all walks of life, regardless of how you worship, 593 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:17,760 Speaker 2: who you love, or how you vote, to get involved 594 00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:22,080 Speaker 2: in their community and share those stories in community with people. 595 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 2: Because I don't care how you think, how you love, 596 00:36:25,719 --> 00:36:29,480 Speaker 2: how you vote, how you worship. There's one thing we 597 00:36:29,560 --> 00:36:32,920 Speaker 2: can all celebrate together regards of our differences, and that 598 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:36,440 Speaker 2: is the work to help someone who is not as 599 00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:39,600 Speaker 2: fortunate as us. We can all celebrate that, and so 600 00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:44,040 Speaker 2: we're trying to create this podcast that's entertaining and interesting, 601 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:47,879 Speaker 2: but also behind it an actual movement of people who 602 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:51,000 Speaker 2: can join in community to celebrate this work. 603 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:52,319 Speaker 1: How often are you doing? 604 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:56,920 Speaker 2: The podcast releases every week. Every Tuesday we release, and 605 00:36:57,160 --> 00:37:00,680 Speaker 2: each podcast has between an hour and a half and 606 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:05,240 Speaker 2: two hours of content. So each podcast we release on Tuesday, 607 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:08,040 Speaker 2: but typically part one, Part two, and part three, so 608 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:10,319 Speaker 2: they're in thirty to forty five minute increments so that 609 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:12,799 Speaker 2: you can listen on your morning walk or your job, 610 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:15,279 Speaker 2: or your way back forth to work, and listen to 611 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:17,160 Speaker 2: them throughout the week so that when you roll around 612 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:20,160 Speaker 2: to Tuesday, you're ready to hear another one. We also 613 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:25,320 Speaker 2: do embedded in an army of normal folks, occasional seven 614 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:27,880 Speaker 2: to eight minute shorts, like I did one on Father's 615 00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:31,239 Speaker 2: Day that was just me reflecting on the importance of 616 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:35,800 Speaker 2: Father's Day. And then also on occasion we interview people 617 00:37:35,880 --> 00:37:39,160 Speaker 2: you would know, but we don't interview them to tell 618 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:41,560 Speaker 2: their stories because their stories have been told. We call 619 00:37:41,600 --> 00:37:45,160 Speaker 2: it supporting greatness, and so we interview people you do know, 620 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:49,239 Speaker 2: but we briefly talk about what they've done to set perspective, 621 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:52,919 Speaker 2: but we talk about the people, the normal people who 622 00:37:52,960 --> 00:37:55,640 Speaker 2: came along in their lives that supported their greatness. So 623 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:59,960 Speaker 2: we interviewed Mike Rowe and we talked about his scout mashed, 624 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:05,799 Speaker 2: his grandfather and his music teacher and how they provided 625 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:08,320 Speaker 2: the foundation for him to go on and do great things. 626 00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 2: And just yesterday I interviewed David Bellavia, who is the 627 00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:17,680 Speaker 2: only living Medal of Honor winner from Iraq, and we 628 00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:21,279 Speaker 2: talked about the people in his life, his father, his grandfather, 629 00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:26,520 Speaker 2: the unnamed living and dead heroes of the Ramrods who 630 00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:31,480 Speaker 2: supported him. And we celebrate the normal people who supported 631 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:35,040 Speaker 2: their greatness through life. And so we released weekly and 632 00:38:35,239 --> 00:38:37,440 Speaker 2: that's kind of the idea behind the show. And like 633 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:41,160 Speaker 2: I said, it is started to resonate, but we're out 634 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:43,680 Speaker 2: there working hard to promote it to try to get 635 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:45,919 Speaker 2: more people to join the proverbial army. 636 00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:49,000 Speaker 1: That's great. How do people find it? 637 00:38:49,719 --> 00:38:54,239 Speaker 2: Yeah, normalfolks dot us, like you were distributed by iHeart 638 00:38:54,719 --> 00:38:58,640 Speaker 2: so anywhere you know Apple, iHeart Spotify, anywhere you listen 639 00:38:58,640 --> 00:39:02,160 Speaker 2: to podcasts. You go to normal folks dot us for 640 00:39:02,239 --> 00:39:05,680 Speaker 2: the website. You can email me at Bill at normal 641 00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:09,040 Speaker 2: folks dot us and you can find on coach Bill 642 00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:13,880 Speaker 2: Courtney dot com links to it and just go and listen. 643 00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:16,040 Speaker 2: I don't want people to think if I got to 644 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:17,560 Speaker 2: listen to this, I'm going to have to get involved 645 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:19,479 Speaker 2: in something. I just want people to go to listen, 646 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:23,120 Speaker 2: be entertained. And the hope is that over time, while 647 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:27,160 Speaker 2: being entertained, you hear something that clicks that says, wow, 648 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:30,120 Speaker 2: now that's something I could do. You don't have to 649 00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:33,799 Speaker 2: start some massive organization with thousands of people. You can 650 00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:36,880 Speaker 2: serve five people in your community and make a difference. 651 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:42,600 Speaker 2: It's normal folks doing normal things in community, celebrating that 652 00:39:42,719 --> 00:39:45,960 Speaker 2: work that we're looking for, and just grow up a 653 00:39:46,080 --> 00:39:51,040 Speaker 2: massive number of people doing that and all communicating and 654 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:52,200 Speaker 2: celebrating over it. 655 00:39:52,280 --> 00:39:55,120 Speaker 1: If you've had a remarkable life already and it's clear 656 00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:57,560 Speaker 1: that you're going to continue to be a leader, and 657 00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:00,200 Speaker 1: you're going to continue to help people and the help 658 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:02,200 Speaker 1: the country, you know, I want to thank you for 659 00:40:02,280 --> 00:40:05,319 Speaker 1: joining me, and I want to encourage our listeners to 660 00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:09,640 Speaker 1: go to Amazon dot com watch your inspiring documentary Undefeated, 661 00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:12,280 Speaker 1: and then go to Apple podcast or the iHeart app 662 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:15,760 Speaker 1: and listen to your new podcast, An Army of Normal Folks. 663 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:17,880 Speaker 1: And Bill, I want to thank you for taking the 664 00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:19,120 Speaker 1: time to be with us today. 665 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:23,920 Speaker 2: It truly is my honor. I think your service to 666 00:40:23,960 --> 00:40:28,160 Speaker 2: our country was exemporary, and you served at a really 667 00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:30,880 Speaker 2: interesting time and I'm really honored to meet you and 668 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:32,080 Speaker 2: b with you. I appreciate it. 669 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:37,719 Speaker 1: Thank you to my guest coach, Bill Courtney. You can 670 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:41,160 Speaker 1: learn more about Undefeated and his podcast, An Army of 671 00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:44,920 Speaker 1: Normal Folks on our show page at newtworld dot com. 672 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:48,600 Speaker 1: New World is produced by Gingrish three sixty and iHeartMedia. 673 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:53,480 Speaker 1: Our executive producer is Guarnsey Sloan. Our researcher is Rachel Peterson. 674 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:57,160 Speaker 1: The artwork for the show was created by Steve Penley. 675 00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:00,879 Speaker 1: Special thanks to the team at Gingrich three sixty. If 676 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:03,880 Speaker 1: you've been enjoying Newtsworld, I hope you'll go to Apple 677 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:07,520 Speaker 1: Podcasts and both rate us with five stars and give 678 00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:10,520 Speaker 1: us a review so others can learn what it's all about. 679 00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:14,320 Speaker 1: Right now, listeners of Newtsworld can sign up for my 680 00:41:14,480 --> 00:41:19,640 Speaker 1: three free weekly columns at gingristhree sixty dot com slash newsletter. 681 00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:22,680 Speaker 1: I'm newt Gingrich. This is Newtsworld.